The vibrancy of emotion and improvisation seems to be unsurpassed in Altman’s production as well. Like “Casino,” “The Cooler” gives an insider’s look at gambling and all the measures taken to prevent it from paying off. Rather than sketching a master gambler, “The Cooler” is drawn to the opposite end of the spectrum. A cooler, in Vegas parlance, is a player so unlucky that his mere presence alone can ruin a high roller’s hot streak. William H. Macy, in a role he was seemingly born to inhabit, plays the eponymous Bernie Lootz, who lives a dreary and sexless life in a rundown motel on the Las Vegas Strip. The former gambling addict works a thankless job at the Shangri-La Casino, where he is indebted to its hard-lined owner Shelly Kaplow, played by Alec Baldwin in an Oscar-nominated performance.
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I didn’t do any of my tells.’ To which Maverick replied, ‘You held your breath. Croupier is one of the best casino movies of all time, featuring Clive Owen starring Jack Manfred, an unlucky writer. Manfred’s job is as a croupier at a casino to earn money, giving inspiration for a novel. To further inspire writing, he disobeys a casino’s conduct code, getting caught in a dangerous heist. A popular quote is, ‘Gambling’s not about money… Gambling’s about not facing reality, ignoring the odds.’ Croupier release was two years later & features 3 alternate types, with a 7/10 rating on IMDb and 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Vegas Vacation (
Its compelling plot becomes a character study of sorts, and Jack Manfred should by dint of that go down as the single most compelling protagonist to ever be featured in a gambling movie. And that’s hardly scratching the surface of what makes Croupier so great. There are several movies that either feature poker or see the actors play poker. Some of the more famous poker movies are The Cincinnati Kid, Molly’s Game, Rounders and Casino Royale, all of which have poker form some of all of the action in the film.
- After confiding in Sarah, a tortured alcoholic, Eddie picks himself together to try to beat Fats once and for all.
- The film is a masterpiece, and it deserves respect for the quality of drama created by such simple materials.
- Thanks to its top-notch acting, the underdog tale elevates itself above the conventional gambling film and establishes itself as a memorable neon-neo-noir.
- Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, this is The Social Network (2010) of gambling films — which makes sense, as the biographical drama about the founder of Facebook was also written by Sorkin.
- If inspired to place a bet on real-life sports action after a movie marathon, consider exploring the UEFA Champions League bet options available.
- Five of the wealthiest men in the area come together to risk it all while an interested crowd watches them with bated breath.
- It is no wonder why; Barbet Schroeder, also famous for big hits as Barfly, Reversal of Fortune, and Single White Female, was the director behind this crazy, enticing thriller.
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The film is a masterpiece, and it deserves respect for the quality of drama created by such simple materials. But it isn’t long until Vegas’ seductive wiles charm Clark (and his underage son Rusty!) into gambling away the family’s fortune. See our Live Dealer Casinos page for the best places to play and improve your strategy with our guides for Roulette, Craps and Blackjack. Evan, however, comedically feuded with Richie over the money as he believed he deserved of half the jackpot. Matchbook offers unrivalled pre-match and in-play markets for bettors and traders. If you want a light-hearted knockabout with a guys getting dealt quads over quads this isn’t the film for you, but if you want a film about gambling warts and all then check it out.
Lights, Camera, Action: The 10 Best Casino Movies of All Time
Known around the local poker scene as “The Cincinnati Kid,” Eric decides to challenge someone even better than him – a fellow poker master by the name of Lancey “The Man” Howard. After getting set up with Howard for a winner takes all poker games, Eric discovers that the odds are being fixed in his favor. This revelation pushes Eric to defy such a dishonorable victory and show everyone that he can win the match through his skills alone.
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When a professional gambler by the name of Sydney runs into a fellow gambler named John, Sydney takes John under his wing and teaches him how to truly be successful in the world of gambling. This process seems to go well at first, but things take a turn for the worst when both men come into contact with a local prostitute and a sketchy casino patron. God of Gamblers (1989) stars Chow Yun-Fat as a master gambler losing his memory, while Freeze Out (2005) includes Tom Sharpe in an ugly high-stakes poker game. It’s pretty cool seeing the mix, from old-school vibes to the new high-stakes dramas.
Color of money
He doesn’t even seem interested in casinos, which is weird since the movie is called Casino . The result is California Split (1974), a wonderful character study that delves deep into the dangers of gambling addiction. There’s no denying this entry as a classic of the gambling movie ilk, and although it hasn’t aged as well as some of its older counterparts, it will forever be remembered for its tangible tone and rock-solid narrative. Directed by Robert Altman, this gambling saga tells the tale of its two primary characters, Bill Denny and Charlie Waters — played by George Segal and Elliot Gould, respectively.
- This complexity offers a fresh perspective on gambling narratives, reflecting not just the despair, but the human connections, dreams, and moments of joy that can be found even in the most seemingly desolate paths of life.
- Matt Damon gives a memorable performance as a talented poker player who, despite his attempt to turn his life around, returns to poker to help a friend pay off his debts.
- That said, the days of professional baseball players taking a dive to satisfy a bet are over because they’re paid millions anyway.
- “Uncut Gems,” a film released in 2019, became a sensation on Netflix.
- There’s the Man, unloved and unfriended and maybe past his prime, who knows that it always comes to character in the end.
- Matt Damon stars in this movie all about placing big bets and fighting to escape crippling debt.
- “The Sting” is a 1973 American caper film set in September 1936, involving a con artist and a rookie grifter who seek revenge on a crime lord who murdered one of their partners.
- It’s considered one of the best poker films of all time and is credited with helping to popularize Texas Hold’em during the early 2000s poker boom.
“Mississippi Grind” ( – IMDb Rating: 6.3
- The movie follows his story as he rises to the top of the gambling world, but it also shows the darker side of the industry with its portrayal of greed, violence, and betrayal.
- Like with Scorsese’s mobsters, these are people who are magnetic but not ones you’d want to spend time with in real life.
- Other gambling-related movies that didn’t make our list include those that we’ve already covered in previous pieces, including poker’s greatest movie, Rounders (1998), and one of the best movies ever, period, Casino (1995).
- There is a thin line between a con-man and a gambler, and the Best Picture-winning The Sting is one of the best films in both genres.
- We feel his excitement and we cringe at his pain, and it all leads to an ending that cashes all in and wins big.
Aaron Sorkin’s writing does a job of building a realistic world, and the gambling scenes aren’t out of touch. Players and fans were never really impressed; instead, they waited for a film that did the game justice. For many, that came in 2015 with the release of Mississippi Grind, a drama written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck and starring Ben Mendelsohn and Ryan Reynolds. The film talks about the life of Henry Hill and his allies’ criminal careers. The memorable casino scene is when Tommy DeSimone approaches the craps table with lots of money to place bets. Tommy is one of the main characters, and he brings an atmosphere of excitement to the audience.
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Those penalties come after the veteran was flagged six times in last week’s loss to the Vikings. The Texans had 12 penalties for 93 yards Sunday to give them 35 penalties combined in their past three games. They have 40 overall this season, which is the most in the NFL through Sunday’s games. Collins has remained Stroud’s favorite option this season despite the blockbuster offseason trade for four-time Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs. Stroud recalled the first time he worked out with the receiver after being drafted second overall by the Texans last year.
Storyline
This isn’t one of Scorsese’s best movies — and as we said earlier, The Hustler is the better overall film — but it’s solid and despairing. Like with Scorsese’s mobsters, these are people who are magnetic but not ones you’d want to spend time with in real life. Matt Damon is terrific as the main character, a brilliant poker player who tries to bail out his friend Worm, played by Ed Norton. John Malkovich plays the iconic Teddy KGB, and John Turturro is Knish, the wise old grinder. The movie is filled with realistic characters and covers the highs and lows and massive swings of no-limit hold ’em as well as other games.
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The movie named after that important position follows an aspiring writer who takes on that role in order to support his ambitions. During his time spent as a croupier, he tries his hardest not to get sucked up in the dark world of gambling and fall for a more “attractive” temptation. He eventually succumbs to his dark desires and ends up in a situation far worse than he could have ever imagined. It’s always a rare case when the remake of a film ends up surpassing the original.
The story of law student Mike who, surprise surprise, is a bit of a gambling addict and loses all his cash and his journey of revenge and redemption against the man who sent him broke. The characters are great, especially the just about believable villain Teddy KGB, and the poker is the right side of plausible while also being ridiculous enough to be entertaining. This is less a tale of pool and more a tale of how we deal with losses, both financial and personal. If that all sounds a bit deep then it also features some of the best pool scenes recorded on film, some top quality betting action and an effortlessly cool performance from Paul Newman in the lead role. The tale of small-time pool hustler Eddie taking on the big time is one any gambler can empathise with and it features the same mix of hope, hubris, heroics and heartbreak we’ve all experienced.
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The Cooler was met with positive reviews, with critics praising the acting and writing. The film was nominated for several awards, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor (Baldwin). The Kid’s main rival is Lancey Howard (Edward G. Robinson), an established professional poker player who has been around the block a few times. Howard is a master of the game and has no patience for young upstarts.
- He got the idea to build a hotel and casino resort, the Flamingo, during one of his trips to Vegas to check up on a gambling joint.
- The main character of Axel’s weakness for gambling ranges from betting on basketball to hot shot casino games, showing that the protagonist is entrenched too deep in his addiction to think logically.
- And Ladyfingers, of course, who has seen it all so many times that the story has played out before it even begins.
- Made in the heat of the now-mercifully-cooled World Series of Poker craze, the late Curtis Hanson put an immediate halt to his terrific L.A.
- There’s no denying this entry as a classic of the gambling movie ilk, and although it hasn’t aged as well as some of its older counterparts, it will forever be remembered for its tangible tone and rock-solid narrative.
1986 American drama directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Helen Shaver & Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. It is a sequel to the 1961 movie ‘The Hustler’ with a 7/10 rating on IMDb and 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. Following Fast, Eddie Felson, a former pool hustler, decides to admit a pupil & return after retirement.
So much so that Gerry takes Curtis on the road with him as he taps into his good luck during their gambling tour around the South. Gerry hopes that with Curtis by his side, he’ll be able to hit it big at a high-stakes poker game in New Orleans. Mississippi Grind is the perfect road trip film that just so happens to be tied to big money bets and a nail-biting poker game. A fresh take on the 1974 film of the same name, The Gambler stars Mark Wahlberg in a striking story of fighting gambling addiction and breaking free from debt.
Mo’ Better Blues (
If you are looking for a gripping gambling movie that is based on a true story, then Casino is a must-watch. Clive Owen has been such a familiar, somewhat disappointing, presence in films for the last two decades that it’s now hard to remember what a lightning bolt his arrival was. So go back and rewatch Croupier, where all that promise was laid out fairly magnificently. He’s Jack, an aspiring novelist desperate for money — soon, he’s a croupier getting to know the world of casino gambling.
The plots of many of the best films about gambling are remarkably similar. It’s not uncommon for these films to focus on a single genre and be made on a… This category is for films about gambling, or in which gambling is important to the plot. The movie was written and directed by Paul Schrader, the man who wrote iconic screenplays https://true-fortune.us/ like Taxi Driver. Supporting roles from Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and John C. Reilly brilliantly highlight the range of strange and interesting characters that you can find in any casino. After being taught the gambling ropes, Jack’s attention begins to be diverted by a cocktail waitress.
It features a range of emotions from the joy of winning to the rage over a series of losses. The whole truth about gambling is perfectly presented here, from the high ups to the steep downs. With his 1996 neo-noir debut feature “Hard Eight,” Paul Thomas Anderson burst onto the cinematic scene.
Through her charismatic personality, she attracts higher caliber players and eventually starts running her own games, which gained her a lot of money. The Ocean’s Trilogy is one of the most iconic casino heist movie series and includes Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve, and Ocean’s Thirteen. All movies star George Clooney as Danny Ocean, an aspiring criminal who wants to complete the largest heist in history. The movie is a great watch both alone and with company, but gambling scenes are few and far between, with most of them bunched up during the latter parts of the film. Other gambling-related movies that didn’t make our list include those that we’ve already covered in previous pieces, including poker’s greatest movie, Rounders (1998), and one of the best movies ever, period, Casino (1995). Handicapping is a serious business in Vegas and the high-stakes nature of the world may surprise some but the themes will be achingly familiar to anyone who’s placed a sports bet before.
- In this article, we will be discussing the best gambling movies that are produced in the last few years, and you can find them on Netflix.
- Cheaters jumps from casino locale to locale, showing elegant locations and high-stakes roulette games in contrast to the undercurrent of the intense desperation of Elric and Suzie in each scene.
- It would be difficult to refrain from asking for a portion of the winnings.
- He goes up against Mads Mikkelsen’s character, Le Chiffre, a formidable player who finances terrorist organizations.
- If you want to chill at home with a good movie about sports betting or gambling, we’ve curated a great selection of films that are currently on Netflix, as well as a few options that might make their way to the platform at some point.
- They are an excellent way to experience the joy of gambling without risking money.
- After losing it all at the casino due to a lifelong addiction, Bob decides he’s going to get the old gang back together and rob the joint—if he can only keep himself away from the tables.
George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon lead a supporting crew that consists of actors like Julia Roberts, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Casey Affleck, and Elliot Gould. It’s easily the most well-assembled cast any gambling film has to offer, even if all its characters in the end stifle the overall pacing (and realism, for a different time) of the film itself. Along with The Hangover and a select couple of others, Ocean’s Eleven (2001) by Steven Soderbergh is one of the most popular gambling movies ever made. Sure, it’s a heist film as well, but the featured location of said robbery is of course a Las Vegas casino. We should all consider ourselves lucky that these tales didn’t stay in Vegas, as Sin City has produced some of the best and most underrated movies to ever grace the silver screen. Gambling can encompass poker and other card games, of course, but also sports betting, the lottery, and anything else of that ilk you could muster.
Some had to rewatch their most favorite film about casinos, such as poker movies. All too often women in gambling movies are limited to love interests, or that classic cliché – a prostitute with a heart of gold. Apart from a love of literature, Freed also has a debilitating gambling addiction.
If you put all of the James Bond films in order of best to worst received, “Casino Royale” would come in at No. 4, according to Rotten Tomatoes. This beloved franchise gave us a mature, reinvented Bond with the introduction of Daniel Craig and his excellent poker face. He goes up against Mads Mikkelsen’s character, Le Chiffre, a formidable player who finances terrorist organizations.
This scheme soon leads to Charlie taking his autistic brother on the road with him for a life-changing excursion. All the while, Charlie relies on his brother’s amazing mathematical skills to help him win big at every gaming table they come across during a stop in Las Vegas. This moment then leads to a change in character for Charlie that makes this film a real tearjerker that’s bound to hit you right in the feels. Ever hear about the underground gambling dens that were visited by multiple A-list celebrities? Writer and director Aaron Sorking tells the tale of Molly Bloom, the queenpin behind the exclusive and illegal underground ring of high-stakes poker games.
There is a thin line between a con-man and a gambler, and the Best Picture-winning The Sting is one of the best films in both genres. From a phony off-track betting parlor and waitresses doubling as assassins to fake FBI agents and real murder, The Sting is the benchmark of great gambling movies. Ocean’s Eleven isn’t just one of the greatest gambling movies, it could appear on lists for the best heist movies, best George Clooney movies, best movies from Las Vegas, and even best movies snubbed by the Academy Awards. In gambling, the house always wins until the perfect hand comes along.
The film’s title refers to the job of a casino cooler, someone who is paid to keep gamblers from winning too much money. “Rounders” sucks viewers into the world of underground poker, where the rush of the bluff and the allure of the win reign supreme. Matt Damon gives a memorable performance as a talented poker player who, despite his attempt to turn his life around, returns to poker to help a friend pay off his debts. Take, for instance, the high-stakes poker scene in Casino Royale which you can see in the video below. The dramatic climax of the poker game hinges on a highly improbable hand of Straigth Flush, which, while thrilling for viewers, significantly stretches the bounds of typical game probabilities.
Pitt ends up getting the jobs done himself like an angel of death befallen anyone silly enough to gamble their lives away by messing with the mafia. The opulence of the casino, with its glitzy surface, acts as a stark contrast to the harsh realities that lurk beneath – organized crime, addiction, betrayal, and an insatiable quest for power and recognition. As Bernie’s relationship with Natalie blossoms, it juxtaposes the newfound hope and authenticity found in human connection against the manufactured and exploitative hope sold within the casino walls. His awakening to love and genuine companionship starkly contrasts with the superficial allure and ephemeral joys peddled by the gambling world. Bernie, once a passive participant in the perpetuation of gamblers’ despair, becomes a mirror through which the audience might reflect on the broader, systemic moral complexities inherent within the gambling industry. And what materializes from its slick style and intelligent script is a career-defining performance from English actor Clive Owen that dives deep into the intricate nature of the human condition.